SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING OUT-OF-PLANE LINEAR ACCELERATION WITH A CLOSED LOOP LINEAR DRIVE ACCELEROMETER
First Claim
1. A method that determines an out-of-plane acceleration of an accelerometer, the method comprising:
- accelerating the accelerometer in an out-of-plane direction, wherein the acceleration generates a rotational torque to an unbalanced proof mass;
applying a rebalancing force to at least one plurality of interleaved rotor comb tines and stator comb tines, wherein the rebalancing force opposes the rotational torque, wherein the rotor comb tines are disposed at an end of the unbalanced proof mass, and wherein the stator comb tines are disposed on a stator adjacent to the end of the unbalanced proof mass; and
determining an amount of acceleration based upon the applied rebalancing force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods sense out-of-plane linear accelerations. In an exemplary embodiment, the out-of plane linear accelerometer is accelerated in an out-of-plane direction, wherein the acceleration generates a rotational torque to an unbalanced proof mass. A rebalancing force is applied to at least one plurality of interleaved rotor comb tines and stator comb tines, wherein the rebalancing force opposes the rotational torque, wherein the rotor comb tines are disposed at an end of the unbalanced proof mass, and wherein the stator comb tines are disposed on a stator adjacent to the end of the unbalanced proof mass. An amount of acceleration is then determined based upon the applied rebalancing force.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method that determines an out-of-plane acceleration of an accelerometer, the method comprising:
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accelerating the accelerometer in an out-of-plane direction, wherein the acceleration generates a rotational torque to an unbalanced proof mass; applying a rebalancing force to at least one plurality of interleaved rotor comb tines and stator comb tines, wherein the rebalancing force opposes the rotational torque, wherein the rotor comb tines are disposed at an end of the unbalanced proof mass, and wherein the stator comb tines are disposed on a stator adjacent to the end of the unbalanced proof mass; and determining an amount of acceleration based upon the applied rebalancing force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A closed loop linear drive accelerometer, comprising:
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an unbalanced proof mass with a first proof mass portion defined by a first mass and a second proof mass portion defined by a second mass, the second mass being different from the first mass; a plurality of first proof mass comb tines at a first end of the unbalanced proof mass; a plurality of first stator comb tines interleaved with the plurality of first proof mass comb tines, the plurality of first stator comb tines offset from the plurality of first proof mass comb tines; a plurality of second proof mass comb tines at a second end of the unbalanced proof mass; a plurality of second stator comb tines interleaved with the plurality of second proof mass comb tines, the plurality of second stator comb tines offset from the plurality of second proof mass comb tines; and a controller operable to apply a rebalancing force to at least one of the plurality of interleaved first proof mass comb tines and first stator comb tines and the plurality of interleaved second proof mass comb tines and second stator comb tines, wherein the rebalancing force opposes a rotational torque of the unbalanced proof mass generated in response to an out-of-plane acceleration of the unbalanced proof mass, wherein the controller is operable to determine an amount of acceleration based upon the applied rebalancing force. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device comprising:
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an unbalanced proof mass with a first proof mass portion defined by a first mass and a second proof mass portion defined by a second mass, the second mass being different from the first mass; a gas dampening compensation volume disposed in the first proof mass portion such that the first mass of the first proof mass portion is less than the second mass of the second proof mass portion; and a gas dampening compensation volume disposed on a side of the second proof mass portion adjacent to a substrate, wherein an area of the gas dampening compensation volume is substantially equal to an area of the mass reduction aperture, wherein a gas dampening of the first proof mass portion is substantially equal to a gas dampening of the second proof mass portion. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification